Mark Frederick Volkman

To Who It May Concern, I believe that it is NOT in the best interests of the United States, the U.S.C.G. or the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary to eliminate the minimum age requirement. Most of the decisions made and activities/missions conducted by Coast Guard Auxiliary members, require the maturity and experience of age, on top of training. Additionally some of the risks that are associated with Auxiliary duties, should not be taken by minors. Based on my 30+ years of U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary experience/membership and mission experience, I recommend that a minimum age of 17 be required to be a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary be set by regulation. (below is excerpt from the proposed changes) docket number USCG-1999-6712 Subpart B-Membership This proposed new subpart would contain regulations relating to members and membership eligibility, discipline and compensation. § 5.10-Eligibility for membership: We propose to add this section to consolidate and revise existing § 5.09, 5.11, 5.13, and 5.15. Paragraph (a) would identify the basic eligibility criteria for Auxiliary membership and eliminate the minimum age requirement and the 25-percent ownership requirement in § 5.09 of the current regulations. This paragraph also incorporates the 2012 legislative change that authorizes eligibility for Auxiliary membership to include nationals of the United States 1 and aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence. The minimum age is not set by statute. ________________________________________ FOOTNOTE 1 "Nationals of the United States" includes all U.S. citizens as well as individuals who, though not citizens, owe permanent allegiance to the United States. 8 U.S.C. 1101(a) (22). Non-citizen nationals currently are primarily American Samoans and Swain Islanders.